A weekend party turned deadly when a drowning accident in Long Island claimed the life of a 55-year old woman. Rujkumari Motwani had attended a late night party at a home in Long Island. When the residents of the house were cleaning up after the fact the next morning, they discovered her body at the bottom of the backyard pool. They immediately called 911 but when rescue crews declared the woman dead at the scene.
Nobody witnessed her fall or enter the pool. However, momentary lapses in supervision are one of the leading contributing factors to accidental pool deaths in New York City.
This is the second backyard drowning accident in Long Island in a week. Earlier this month a 4-year old boy drowned in an above ground pool at a family friend’s house during a backyard barbecue. This latest pool accident shares many similarities.
While children are more likely to drown in backyard pools in New York than adults, any individual–even strong swimmers–can succumb and slip beneath the water line. New York law requires that all owners of backyard pools have certain safety precautions in place in order to prevent accidental drownings. These include:
•· Fences (at least 48 inches high with latching gate/door)
•· Gate alarms
•· Easily accessible telephones
•· Safely installed pool and spa covers and drains
It’s never a good idea to mix alcohol with hazards like machinery (automobiles or boats), open water (including backyard pools), or heights (like balconies or rooftops). Momentary lapses in judgement or disorientation and slowed reflexes can turn tragic in an instant.
While liability for such pool accidents in New York can be difficult to determine, an experienced drowning accident attorney can investigate and find potential dangers that may have contributed to the accidental death.
If you’ve lost a loved one, or have been injured in someone else backyard, contact a New York City pool accident attorney today. Call the Law Offices of Nussin S. Fogel for a free consultation at or 212-385-1122 to learn your rights.